[mowbot] A cheap, easy platform
Terry (cefpearson nospam at accs.net)
Tue, 04 May 1999 23:52:40 -0500
As jeff pointed out. a microprocesesor seems to do the job quite well at
being an mowbot brain. Although the "Devil may be in the details" as I have
never put tried to match a microprocesor with the needed other circuits on
a board. Now that a have a name for the procesor I can put it into a search
engine and get the details of how to program and wire it up. I I do know
that with the 555 timer chips, its was about 3 man/weeks of labor to design
and solder together with wire wrap wire.
Anyway, I will challenge anyone on coming up with an easier, handier
platform for the mowbot than PVC. The source of PVC comes from 4 inch PVC
pipe. I put an 18" section of PVC in the oven at 250 degrees for about 10
minutes. it becomes as flexable as rubber and I cut down the length with a
knife. I then press the hot PVC between two boards and stand on the
arrangement. The end result is a sheet of 1/4" PVC 12" x 18". The nice
thing with using PVC is that wood or sheet metal screws can be used to hold
things together. Use a pilot hole, half the diameter of the screw, to get
it started. Its easy to drill and file, simple hand tools can be used. A
10 foot pipe 4" in diameter of shedule 40 pvc costs about 10 dollars, US.
The formed PVC sheet can be used for other parts too: wheels, cutting
disk and to attach other parts.
Terry Pearson